Chapter 21
Vehicle Weight, Axle and Tire Load Provisions
GENERAL OVERWEIGHT LOAD PROVISIONS
Obtaining Overweight Permits
Before moving a vehicle, with or without a load, which exceeds legal dimensions outlined in the Maximum / Legal Vehicle Dimensions, a permit must be obtained and carried in the vehicle for inspection by law enforcement personnel. Destroyed or illegible permits may be replaced at any port of entry.
The appropriate permit for overweight vehicles and loads, including special mobile equipment, must be obtained prior to operating within the State of Utah, except when entering on I-15 (St. George), I-80 (Echo and Wendover).
Note: These ports are located at the border and permits are available upon entry. If port of entry is closed contact the closest port of entry or the Motor Carrier Division. Contact information can be found in the Utah Agency Directory Section.
Permits may be purchased online at www.udot.utah.gov/public/mcs prior to entry. Permits may be purchased by major credit car and may be issued based on annual permit dimension and weight, or on a single trip basis.
The following conditions must be met to obtain a permit:
- Be in compliance with all financial responsibility obligations as specified under 49 CFR 387, R909-1 (Intrastate carriers).
- Vehicle(s) must be properly registered. UCA 41-1a-101
- Driver(s) are properly licensed with appropriate endorsements.
- Must be in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). 49 CFR Parts 382-399
- Must be in compliance with the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMRs) 49 CFR Parts 171-180.
- Must be in compliance with all UCR requirements.
TRANSFER / REPLACEMENT OF PERMITS
Motor Carrier Division personnel may transfer permits from one vehicle to another for a $35 fee under the following conditions:
- Annual and semi-annual permits may be transferred to another unit within the same company.
- Customer has sold or bought a vehicle.
- Lease changes from one company to another. Documentation providing evidence of permit ownership will be required prior to permit transfer.
- Company reorganization or name change.
- The original permit, or evidence of having an original permit, shall be presented to the issuing agent.
- A transfer permit will be issued the same expiration date as the original permit.
The following information must be provided when applying for a permit:
- Motor Carrier Information:
- USDOT number
- Address
- Telephone number
- Fax number
- Web address (if available)
- Email address (if available)
- Vehicle information
- License number, state, expiration date
- Vehicle make, year, registered weight
- Unit number
- Complete Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Specific load information
- Permit duration (Single, Semi-Annual, Annual)
- Requested routes
- Dimensions: length, width, height, front and rear overhang
- Requested weight
Chapter 21
Vehicle Weight, Axle and Tire Load Provisions
GENERAL OVERWEIGHT LOAD PROVISIONS
Obtaining Overweight Permits
Before moving a vehicle, with or without a load, which exceeds legal dimensions outlined in the Maximum / Legal Vehicle Dimensions, a permit must be obtained and carried in the vehicle for inspection by law enforcement personnel. Destroyed or illegible permits may be replaced at any port of entry.
The appropriate permit for overweight vehicles and loads, including special mobile equipment, must be obtained prior to operating within the State of Utah, except when entering on I-15 (St. George), I-80 (Echo and Wendover).
Note: These ports are located at the border and permits are available upon entry. If port of entry is closed contact the closest port of entry or the Motor Carrier Division. Contact information can be found in the Utah Agency Directory Section.
Permits may be purchased online at www.udot.utah.gov/public/mcs prior to entry. Permits may be purchased by major credit car and may be issued based on annual permit dimension and weight, or on a single trip basis.
The following conditions must be met to obtain a permit:
- Be in compliance with all financial responsibility obligations as specified under 49 CFR 387, R909-1 (Intrastate carriers).
- Vehicle(s) must be properly registered. UCA 41-1a-101
- Driver(s) are properly licensed with appropriate endorsements.
- Must be in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). 49 CFR Parts 382-399
- Must be in compliance with the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMRs) 49 CFR Parts 171-180.
- Must be in compliance with all UCR requirements.
TRANSFER / REPLACEMENT OF PERMITS
Motor Carrier Division personnel may transfer permits from one vehicle to another for a $35 fee under the following conditions:
- Annual and semi-annual permits may be transferred to another unit within the same company.
- Customer has sold or bought a vehicle.
- Lease changes from one company to another. Documentation providing evidence of permit ownership will be required prior to permit transfer.
- Company reorganization or name change.
- The original permit, or evidence of having an original permit, shall be presented to the issuing agent.
- A transfer permit will be issued the same expiration date as the original permit.
The following information must be provided when applying for a permit:
- Motor Carrier Information:
- USDOT number
- Address
- Telephone number
- Fax number
- Web address (if available)
- Email address (if available)
- Vehicle information
- License number, state, expiration date
- Vehicle make, year, registered weight
- Unit number
- Complete Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Specific load information
- Permit duration (Single, Semi-Annual, Annual)
- Requested routes
- Dimensions: length, width, height, front and rear overhang
- Requested weight
PERMIT REFUNDS
To request a permit refund, please contact the port supervisor at the location where the permit was purchased. For refunds on self issued permits contact the Motor Carrier Division at (801)965-4892. Contact information can be located in the Utah Agency Directory Section.
LIABILITY OF PERMITTEE
The applicant of permittee, as a condition for obtaining an overweight permit, the applicant shall assume all responsibility for crashes, including injury to any persons or damage to public or private property caused by operations.
INDEMNITY CLAUSE
The applicant or permittee agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Motor Carrier Division or the State of Utah from any and all claims resulting directly or indirectly from the operation and/or transportation of vehicles or combination of vehicles operating under an oversize/overweight permit.
PERMIT REVOCATION, SUSPENSION, AND CONFISCATION
Violation of the terms or conditions of an oversize/overweight permit, including but not limited to: speeding, lane travel, weather, load securement, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and/or Hazardous Material Regulations may result in the revocation, suspension, or confiscation of the permit. Before the vehicle can be moved, it must be made legal, properly permitted, and violations corrected.
Patterns of non-compliance at a company level may constitute action taken against the carrier's overall permit privileges and may result in additional civil penalties and an order to cease operations.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY OR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY
Vehicles operating under an oversize/overweight permit shall not be operated in excess of the posted speed limit or the speed indicated on the permit, whichever is less. In no case shall a permitted movement proceed at a speed, which shall endanger the safety of persons or property.
WEATHER TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
49 CFR 392.14
Extreme caution in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle shall be exercised when hazardous conditions are present, such as those caused by snow, ice, sleet, fog, mist, rain, dust, or smoke, adversely affect visibility or traction. Speed shall be reduced when such conditions exist. If conditions become sufficiently dangerous, the operation of the commercial motor vehicle shall be discontinued and shall not be resumed until the commercial motor vehicle can be safely operated. Whenever compliance with the foregoing provisions of this rule increases hazard to passengers, the commercial motor vehicle may be operated to the nearest point at which the safety of passengers is assured.
TRAVEL LANE RESTRICTIONS
UCA 41-6a-702
Left Lane Travel Restrictions
A person may not operate a vehicle in the left-most lane or High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes if:
- Vehicle is drawing a trailer or semi trailer regardless of size, or
- Vehicle or combination of vehicle has a gross vehicle weight of 12,001 or more pounds.
- Left most lane when three or more lanes exist in the direction of travel.
Right Lane Travel Restrictions
- Permitted non-divisible vehicles shall be driven in the right-most lane of traffic, except where the right lane must exit.
- When overtaking and passing another vehicle, permitted non-divisible vehicles shall be driven to the immediate left of the right-most lane returning to the right most lane as soon as feasible
- If right-most lane is designated as an "auxiliary" lane, vehicles shall operate in the center lane until the "auxiliary" lane ends.
VENDORS AND MANUFACTURERS
Vendors and manufacturers of trailers, special mobile equipment, or specialized vehicles and/or combination of vehicles, are urged to coordinate with the Motor Carrier Division before manufacturing, modifying or selling such equipment for use in this state. For additional information refer to the end of this section.
VIOLATION OF WEIGHT LIMITS
Overweight vehicles or combination of vehicles shall be brought within legal limits at the point of violation unless there is a potential hazard, as determined by enforcement personnel. If it is determined that a hazard exists, the vehicle shall be moved to the closest location where the excessive weight can be safely transferred to another vehicle unless, in the judgment of the enforcement personnel, it is safer to proceed to the original destination. UCA 72-7-405(3)(b)
AUTHORIZED WEIGHING EQUIPMENT
Utah uses a number of different types of weighing equipment. These include portable scales, certified privately owned scales, and official port of entry facilities along state highways and interstates.
SINGLE TIRE CONFIGURATION
The use of single tires on heavy vehicles has been indicated to be one of the factors damaging to pavements, in the form of increased fatigue and rutting. Significant pavement rutting can result in an unsafe condition to the traveling public, and is very costly to correct, the Utah Department of Transportation finds it in the best interest of the safety and convenience of the traveling public to limit and discourage the use of single tires in Utah.
The use of narrow single tires (less than 14 inches wide) on any combination vehicle requiring an overweight or oversize permit shall not be allowed on single axles, except for steering axles, including self steering VLS, or retractable axles, or wide base tires (14 inches or greater). All axles having a weight in excess of 10,000 lbs shall be equipped with four tires per axles, or wide base single tires (14 inches wide or greater as indicated by the manufacturer's sidewall rating).
Exemption: 14 inch wide single tire requirement does not apply to steering axles, or self-steering VLS retractable axles.
TIRE LOAD
In circumstances where weight limitations are based on tire width, the manufacturer's size, as indicated on the sidewall will be used to determine maximum tire width.
- For non-permitted/legal vehicles, no tire shall exceed 600 pounds per inch of tire width as indicated on the sidewall.
- Tire loading on vehicles requiring an overweight or oversize permit shall not exceed 500 pounds per inch of tire width for tires 11 inches wide and greater.
- Tires less than 11 inches wide shall not exceed 450 pounds per inch of tire width.
- Except as provided in Single Tire Configuration, single axle loading shall not exceed 20,000 pounds, and tandem axle loading shall not exceed 34,000 pounds.
- Non-divisible loads may be exempt from these restrictions upon written approval from the Department.
Example: Tire sidewall reads: 265 R 22 265 is the metric width, to convert, multiply 265 by .04 which gives you 10.6. Your tire would be 10.6 inches wide.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For further information regarding Vehicle Weight, Axle and Tire Permit Provisions contact the Motor Carrier Division at (801) 965-4892 or (866) 215-5399, or the closest Port of Entry. Contact information can be found in the Utah Agency Directory Section, or by emailing mccustomerservice@utah.gov.
